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Awards from Other U.S. Government Agencies

General Colin L. Powell Interagency Award for ILE Class 11-01- Joseph (Jeff) Howard (6/04/11)For his superior thesis and in recognition of his excellence in scholarship and overall contributions to interagency education at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, Supervisory Special Agent Joseph (Jeff) Howard received the General Colin L. Powell Interagency Award for ILE Class 11-01. He was only the third recipient of this award, and the first from the U.S. Department of State.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern Disctric of Virginia 2011 Public Service Awards - Special agents Bruce Baldwin, Michael Conklin, Lindsey Dickerson, Matthew Frohlich, and Frank Morris (5/13/11)Special agents Baldwin, Conklin, Dickerson, Frohlich, and Morris were honored for their outstanding efforts in three separate fraud investgiations.

Department of Justice U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Law Enforcement Public Service Award - Frank Morris (6/04/10)
For his investigative work on a fraud case, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia honored Special Agent Morris with its Law Enforcement Public Service Award. Morris's investigation resulted in the arrest and guilty plea of a man who conspired to obtain over 100 fraudulent credit and debit cards in 30 different names.

U.S. Marshals Service Investigative Excellence Award- Wade DeWitt, Robert Kelty, Jason Meixner, Paul Trachtenberg (5/20/10)
For their investigation that led to the arrest of a fugitive murder suspect by local law enforcement in Belize, the U.S. Marshals Service presented special agents DeWitt, Kelty, Meixner and Trachtenberg with its Investigative Excellence Award at the 12th Annual International Fugitive Investigators Conference in Toronto, Canada. The fugitive was wanted for allegedly stabbing a man to death in Boston in 1995 and had been hiding in southern Belize when the DS team located him. The suspect had been featured on the television program "America's Most Wanted."

U.S. Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service- Matthew Kupec (2/10)
For his service as the Assistant Regional Security Officer in charge of air operations for the RSO office in Tallil, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Special Agent Kupec received the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service from the United States Army. Under his leadership, an aerial medical evacuation of two injured Army soldiers was successfully conducted in June 2009; and Agent Kupec provided ongoing outstanding RSO aviation asset support for the Army’s 4th Brigade Combat Team’s 1st Armor Division in southern Iraq.

Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Award - Adrian Diaz, Kevin Dougherty, Vinh Nguyen (2/3/10)
Agent Diaz, a former ARSO in Monrovia, Liberia, received the Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Award from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for his “substantial and key work” on an investigation that led to the arrest and conviction of the son of a former Liberian dictator for his crimes involving torture and violence overseas. Agents Dougherty and Nguyen received the Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Award for uncovering a scheme by two brothers in Atlanta, Georgia, to sell stolen U.S. passports. The DS agents were lauded for their collaborative efforts with the FBI to shut down the illegal operation that led to prison sentences for both brothers.

National Security Agency Frank B. Rowlett Trophy for Organizational Achievement - DS Office of Computer Security (11/05/09)
The National Security Agency presented its Frank B. Rowlett Trophy for Organizational Achievement to a team comprised of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security's Office of Computer Security and the Bureau of Information Resource Management's Office of Enterprise Network Management and Office of Information Assurance. The DS-IRM team was honored for development of its Site Risk Scoring Program, which assesses the security status, vulnerabilities, and remedies for information systems at 370 U.S. Department of State locations around the world. The initiative helped reduce overall risk to Department of State information systems by 90 percent in 2008.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Case of the Year Award- William Ferrari (6/09)
DS Special Agent William Ferrari received the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Case of the Year Award for his successful work on Operation Coffee Country, in cooperation with that agency’s own special agents. The operation was a coordinated international investigation that centered on document fraud and human trafficking, resulting in the arrest of three Colombian nationals charged with conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for profit as well as visa fraud.

Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Law Enforcement Public Service Award - Edward Allen, Jason Griffin, Assiya Ashraf-Miller, Stephen Wade DeWitt, Michael Olson, Stefan Merino, William McCarthy, Lorne Segerstrom, John Wilbur (5/29/09)
For their exceptional investigative work that led to the conviction and imprisonment in 2008 of a U.S. Foreign Service officer on child pornography charges, eight of these special agents were recognized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern Division of Virginia. Agents Allen and Griffin also were recognized for their investigation of a former employee of the U.S. Agency for International Development who was charged with sexual abuse of minors, sexual contact, and assault.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Shield of Bravery Award- Earl Miller (3/27/09)
RSO Miller, working with FBI special agents while stationed at U.S. Embassy Jakarta, assisted with a four-year investigation leading to the arrest of 12 terrorists responsible for a 2002 ambush of school teachers and a child in Indonesia that left two U.S. citizens and one Indonesian dead, and eight other Americans severely wounded. RSO Miller joined in executing a highly complex ruse that disrupted the terrorist group, without the benefit of standard modern technology and tools.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Assistant Secretary’s Award - Wade Boston, Andrew G. Simpson, Vansak Suos (8/26/08)
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Assistant Secretary’s Award for 2008 was presented to RSO Boston, ARSO Simpson, and FSNI Suos for their investigative assistance in a major pedophile case in Cambodia. The American citizens arrested as a result of the investigation face up to 210 years in prison in the United States.

Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Law Enforcement Public Service Award - Jorge Espinoza, Todd Healey, Brendan McCaughey, Annette Paxson, Lee Rowland (4/18/08)
Five DS investigators were honored for their investigation of two trucking company executives operating an identity-theft and driver’s-license fraud ring, leading to their arrests and imprisonment. Their action closed down an identity-theft operation that helped illegal immigrants fraudulently obtain commercial driver’s licenses using stolen identities of U.S. citizens. The DS team also arrested eleven of the truck drivers and one vendor of fraudulent documents, all of whom pleaded guilty.

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Honor Graduate of the Year Award - Shane Dixon (2/08)
Agent Dixon became the second recipient from DS in two years to receive the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s (FLETC) Honor Graduate of the Year Award. He was the top graduate among 3,944 federal agents enrolled in FLETC Basic Programs in 2006. It was the first time in FLETC history that this award was given to members of the same federal agency, two years in a row.

U.S. Marshals Service Director’s Award - Marcella E. Phelps (12/07)
The second-highest honor given by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), the Director’s Award, was presented to Agent Phelps in recognition of her outstanding service and professionalism on the USMS Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) during Operation Falcon in Baltimore.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of the Chief Counsel Commendation - Miguel A. Eversley (11/07)
DS Special Agent Eversley received a special letter of commendation from the Chief Counsel of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, for his assistance in conducting investigations into alien document fraud, in successfully prosecuting visa and asylum fraud, and in upholding U.S. immigration laws generally.

Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Award for Protecting Children Internationally- Cameron Burks (11/6/07)
RSO Burks received the Assistant Attorney General Award from the U.S. Department of Justice for his work with Moldovan authorities in locating and coordinating the arrest of a U.S. citizen accused of sexual molestation against Moldovan minors while he was on a business trip.

Meritorious Senior Professionals & Executives Presidential Rank Award - Donald Reid (10/07)
DS Senior Coordinator for the Office of Security Infrastructure Reid received this award for his outstanding leadership in reforming the State Department’s security clearance process, transforming it into a transparent, customer-centered, and web-based system that employs technological solutions ensuring full integration with the Office of Personnel Management’s electronic clearance initiatives. Don Reid was one of ten State Department employees to receive the award.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management Guardian Award- DS Office of Personnel Security and Suitability (10/06)
Diplomatic Security’s Office of Personnel Security and Suitability was honored for having the top security clearance and suitability program in the federal government. The office and its programs were lauded for competence, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Honor Graduate of the Year Award- Victoria Anzaldua (7/06)
Agent Anzaldua received the 2005 Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s Honor Graduate of the Year Award, becoming the first female special agent ever to achieve this distinction which is given annually to the FLETC graduate with the highest average scores on academic exams, firearms testing, and physical efficiency testing. She was the top graduate among more than 3,700 federal agents.

Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Law Enforcement Public Service Award- James Mulligan, Barry Shaul (7/27/06)
As case agents for Operation American Child, a federal child smuggling investigation headed by the State Department, Special Agents Mulligan and Shaul ended a child smuggling ring that used fraudulently obtained passports to illegally transport foreign children into the United States. Their investigation resulted in 25 arrests on federal criminal charges and immigration charges.

Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Law Enforcement Public Service Award - Tim Forte (7/27/06)
Agent Forte was part of an award-winning team of federal and state investigators for “Operation Jakarta” that uncovered several criminal rings dedicated to preparing and submitting false asylum applications. The rings prepared nearly one thousand fraudulent asylum applications for Indonesian immigrants living in the United States. The Operation resulted in successful convictions of 21 individuals.

Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Law Enforcement Public Service Award - Maurilio Rojano-Garcia (7/27/06)
Agent Rojano-Garcia was part of the law enforcement team that helped bring charges against the manager of a Northern Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles office, his wife, and an accomplice. The three conspirators were engaged in producing and selling Virginia driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants in the United States and other unqualified applicants.

National Security Agency Frank B. Rowlett Trophy for Organizational Achievement - DS Cyber Threat Analysis Division (CTAD) (11/3/05)
The National Security Agency presented its Frank B. Rowlett Trophy for Organizational Achievement to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s Cyber Threat Analysis Division (CTAD) for its exceptional ingenuity and leadership in helping the federal law enforcement and intelligence communities carry out the White House National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace. CTAD’s staff of intelligence analysts and cyber security experts was recognized for its exceptional track record of teamwork, creative thinking, and information sharing. It was the first time this honor was bestowed upon a State Department group.

Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Award - Nichole Gallagher, Daniel Kenney (9/29/05)
Agents Gallagher and Kenney were honored for their exceptional work on a major visa fraud investigation known as “Operation Open Door” while they were serving with the DS Miami Field Office. Their efforts resulted in a 25-count indictment for visa fraud, false statements, conspiracy, and alien smuggling against a suspect operating a document mill that enabled more than 100 illegal immigrants to fraudulently obtain work in the United States. The suspect was subsequently convicted and sentenced to more than three years of imprisonment.

White House Plaque of Recognition - Scott Gallo(2/1/05)
Agent Gallo was honored for his work on a White House task force to strengthen the sharing of terrorism information to protect Americans, while he was on detail to the Bureau of Counterterrorism. The mission of the task force was to create a terrorism information-sharing system to serve all levels of government and the private sector while protecting the freedom, information privacy, and other legal rights of Americans; and Agent Gallo was responsible for coordinating the State Department’s response at the task force meetings. He received a signed letter of recognition from the President on a wooden plaque.

U.S. Air Force Award for Exemplary Civilian Service -Keith LaRochelle (11/03)
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the force protection needs of the U.S. military in Bulgaria during a critical period, Special Agent LaRochelle received this Award for Exemplary Civilian Service. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, he obtained a $1.2 million grant for the Bulgarian Military Police for force protection upgrades to an air base used by U.S. forces.

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